The systemic approach teaches us that this world functions as a complicated and complex system of checks and balances, and that anomalies may have unforeseen impacts in remote areas of a system. As a modern approach to Business Administration and Leadership, it is only natural that, our profession make use of modern tools and models that help understand and control the reality of the Project Management world. Present day proj ect managers rely heavily on a full scale arsenal of tools and methods that support the analysis, planning, implementation and control of projects. These concepts help us in coping with the issues that arise in his day to day life, in dealing with our team and project stakeholders, in setting priorities, managing time and generating knowledge. They enable us organize and structure our knowledge and concepts (“mind mapping” techniques), to analyze models of causes and effects (“Ishikawa” diagrams), to determine and represent in an abstract fashion entities and relationships (“Object-Role Modeling”) and the interaction between those entities inside a structured system (“Influence analysis”).
This contribution is meant to briefly highlight some of the tools and concepts used at EUROMPM, this listing being by no means exhaustive, new and exciting concepts being continuously added to our repository.
“Mind mapping” and “concept mapping” are techniques used to structure and shape ideas and information. While most “mind mapping” packages out there use a tree bound hierarchy, “concept mapping” software, like the package offered by the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, allows the free design of concepts, thus enabling users to plan sequences and cycles. Some of the more advanced tools on the market allow the combination with “brainstorming” techniques by enabling several users to contribute their knowledge simultaneously.
As one of the fundamental instruments that support decision taking, these concepts have wide application in time and process management. They help project managers plan events and milestones, and play a vital role in identifying critical activities along their time line.
Similar to the “mind mapping” techniques, “Ishikawa diagrams” use a rigid tree hierarchy to establish sets of causes that lead to an effect or state of facts. Causes are being clustered together around root-items. This technique has application in any line of work, and as such, there are several known general models of clustering.
The technique uses a graphical abstraction method of shaping concepts in the form of entities and relationships. This approach enables us to understand, emulate and design complex models such as data structures organization charts or production systems.
In the next step in model analysis we take a closer look at the relationships between the entities of a model, and try to establish how they influence each other. This stage also introduces a component of flow analysis in order to test the logic and stability of a model. The Gamma software package offers tools for the in depth analysis of influence types, direction, strength and concentration, as well as a flow simulator.
Models used in Project Organization
The systemic approach teaches us that this world functions as a complicated and complex system of checks and balances, and that anomalies may have unforeseen impacts in remote areas of a system. As a modern approach to Business Administration and Leadership, it is only natural that, our profession make use of modern tools and models that help understand and control the reality of the Project Management world. Present day proj ect managers rely heavily on a full scale arsenal of tools and methods that support the analysis, planning, implementation and control of projects. These concepts help us in coping with the issues that arise in his day to day life, in dealing with our team and project stakeholders, in setting priorities, managing time and generating knowledge. They enable us organize and structure our knowledge and concepts (“mind mapping” techniques), to analyze models of causes and effects (“Ishikawa” diagrams), to determine and represent in an abstract fashion entities and relationships (“Object-Role Modeling”) and the interaction between those entities inside a structured system (“Influence analysis”).This contribution is meant to briefly highlight some of the tools and concepts used at EUROMPM, this listing being by no means exhaustive, new and exciting concepts being continuously added to our repository.
“Mind mapping” techniques
Software:\> Mind Manager, Freemind, IHMC CMAP Tools
“Mind mapping” and “concept mapping” are techniques used to structure and shape ideas and information. While most “mind mapping” packages out there use a tree bound hierarchy, “concept mapping” software, like the package offered by the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, allows the free design of concepts, thus enabling users to plan sequences and cycles. Some of the more advanced tools on the market allow the combination with “brainstorming” techniques by enabling several users to contribute their knowledge simultaneously.Network diagrams, Critical Path Method, Gantt charts
Software:\> MS Project
As one of the fundamental instruments that support decision taking, these concepts have wide application in time and process management. They help project managers plan events and milestones, and play a vital role in identifying critical activities along their time line.Ishikawa diagrams
Software:\> MS Visio
Similar to the “mind mapping” techniques, “Ishikawa diagrams” use a rigid tree hierarchy to establish sets of causes that lead to an effect or state of facts. Causes are being clustered together around root-items. This technique has application in any line of work, and as such, there are several known general models of clustering.Object-Role Modeling
Software:\> MS Visio
The technique uses a graphical abstraction method of shaping concepts in the form of entities and relationships. This approach enables us to understand, emulate and design complex models such as data structures organization charts or production systems.Influence Analysis
Software:\> GAMMA
In the next step in model analysis we take a closer look at the relationships between the entities of a model, and try to establish how they influence each other. This stage also introduces a component of flow analysis in order to test the logic and stability of a model. The Gamma software package offers tools for the in depth analysis of influence types, direction, strength and concentration, as well as a flow simulator.